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House hunting activity increased by 45% yesterday, says Rightmove

Portal says its website experienced huge increases in traffic and email enquiries as the 'bounce' predicted by many takes place despite reports of a looming recession.

Nigel Lewis

rightmove

The surge in pent-up demand that many within the industry had predicted would take place once the housing market re-opened has become a reality.

Rightmove says its website experienced a 45% jump in visits yesterday following the government’s announcement on Tuesday that people could move home once more.

The portal also says email enquiries about viewings increased by 70% and that agents listed 2,115 new properties during the first five hours of trading yesterday.

But Rightmove has tempered this promising revival in activity with a warning that it may take agents several weeks to adapt their businesses to the new health guidance for branch operations and viewings.

One agent, Maurice Kilbride (left) in Cheshire, made the point succinctly on Twitter this morning: “Estate agents, I know we are all keen to reopen but please stop, think and consider carefully your social distancing policy before carrying out any actions.

“We must continue to keep our distance and or suffer the consequences of another lockdown.”

Rightmove’s Housing Market Expert Miles Shipside, said: “Home movers who have been eagerly waiting to take their plans to the next stage should show some patience with agents given the unexpected announcement, to ensure there’s time to adapt to the new guidelines and everyone is kept safe.”

People were already ramping up their home moving plans before the government’s decision to re-open the housing market, Rightmove claims, prompted in part by Boris Johnson’s speech on Sunday urging some parts of the workforce to return to work.

 

May 14, 2020

One comment

  1. Talking about percentage increases really doesn’t mean much. 45% up on what? Is it 45% up on the previous week which could have been 80% down on pre shutdown visitors.
    45% up on what?

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